Professor Hans-Heinrich Nägeli, Deputy Rector

Introduction
The University of Neuchâtel is located in the city of Neuchâtel in west Switzerland. Founded in 1838, the Academy of Neuchâtel became a university in 1909. Today, it has four faculties: Arts, Law and Economics, Sciences and Theology. The University of Neuchâtel is mainly a research institution well-known for biology, microtechnology, physics, laser technology, health law and archeology.

 

Located in a spectacular environment, where the lake meets the mountains, the university welcomes no fewer than 3400 students each year from Switzerland and abroad. In addition the University has more than 800 staff members. In the past, all these people necessitated the presence of a large number of photocopiers and desktop laser printers.

 

Smartcard
The University of Neuchâtel planned to institute a card legitimation—or Smartcard system. This card would be used as an identity card and with it, authorised students and staff would also be able to pay for things such as food or drink, gain access to the library, open certain doors and print or copy documents. One then started to look for providers who were able to supply systems which were compatible with this Smartcard. The University of Neuchâtel wanted to implement two basic principles. Firstly, to charge expenses to those directly responsible for them, and secondly to offer students and researchers the infrastructure needed in a modern teaching and research environment.

 

The old system
For printing and copying a range of incompatible machines from different suppliers was used. From a logistical point of view this was not very satisfactory and it had negative consequences for everyday business. Different charging systems on copiers meant that in some coins had to be inserted while in others a particular card purchased somewhere in the University had to be used. All this meant that when somebody wanted to make a copy just 100 metres away from his usual place, he would run into small but very bothersome problems. This was, of course, what needed to be changed.

 

The demands
The University of Neuchâtel searched for a provider of printing and copying systems which were compatible with the Smartcard. Additionally, they were looking for a supplier who could offer good quality, ease-of-use, secure printing and the necessary service level. Océ proved to be the only company which was able to make the University an acceptable offer, and the University was pleased to approve an offer from a company with which they had had frequent satisfactory dealings in the past.

 

Hans-Heinrich Nägeli, Professor of Computer Science and Deputy Rector of the University of Neuchâtel, says, "Océ put in a tender for this new system and it was the one we had to choose." Professor Nägeli is very happy that the University is now a step forward towards its goal of providing an advanced, flexible, up-to-the-minute copying and printing service appropriate to a modern institute of higher education. He states, "A big step has been taken in the direction of the large scale implementation of our two objectives."

 

Intuitive operation
The print volume at Neuchâtel has increased significantly. Furthermore the changeover appears to have gone smoothly. Océ provided training for those people who would be responsible for a certain machine and afterwards these people showed the others in their department how to use it. But Professor Nägeli is actually very pleased by the absence of training at a certain level. He states, "It has to be said that it is my experience that the systems are sufficiently intuitive that no heavy training is necessary to use them efficiently, even in more complicated situations."

 

Another big recommendation is the fact that, following on the success of the Océ solution at the University of Neuchâtel, no less than three other universities are now considering a similar solution. Furthermore, the company responsible for the Smartcard, the Kudelski Group, recommends Océ and there is to be a partnership between the two companies.

 

The future
The technology has also proved a source of satisfaction. Professor Nägeli states, "From the technical point of view the project was quite satisfactory and we are pleased with the solution we now have."

 

So the University of Neuchâtel is happy with what Océ has provided, but is looking forward to refining its system even further, providing its staff and students with the most modern benefits. Océ has successfully implemented a multi-access system for a large number of users. The coming years are likely to bring digital filing, scanning and a number of other possibilities. The University of Neuchâtel has not only found a competent supplier but a partner on whom it will be able to count in the years to come.